A

A dime a dozen: Very common; Said of something that is so easy to find that it don't have much value. Example: "Girls like her are a dime a dozen." (There are lots of girls like her.)

About time:
Nearly time, high time. Example: "It's about time you bought a new car!"

(To) ace (v.): (a test, exam, etc.) To pass a test, exam, etc. really easily. Example: "Robert aced his physics exam."

(To) act high and mighty:
To act proudly and arrogantly. Example: "He has been acting all high and mighty ever since he chased away that burglar."

(To) act one's age:
To behave in a more mature way. Example: "Bill, stop throwing rocks! Act your age!"

Actions speak louder than words:
Proverb meaning that's it's better to do something about a problem than to talk about it.

(To) add fuel to the fire:
To make a bad problem even worse. Example: "He added fuel to the fire by bringing up old grudges while they were arguing."

(To) add insult to injury:
To make a bad situation even worse. Example: "To add insult to injury, they made him work overtime on the day he was fired."

Against the clock:
To attempt to do something "against the clock" is to attempt to do something as fast as possible, usually in order to make a deadline. Example: "They were working against the clock to finish the project."

All (adv.): Used to mean "very" in phrases such as "He was all nervous." (He was very nervous.), "He was all happy." (He was very happy.), or "so" in phrases such as "Don't get all emotional."

All ears: When someone says "I'm all ears", they are telling you that they are listening to you, that they are giving you their undivided attention.

All in a day's work:
Typical; normal; par for the course. Example: "Talking to famous celebrities is all in a day's work for some Hollywood reporters."

All over the place: Disorganized; inconsistent; all around the place. Example: "His presentation was all over the place — no clear structure at all."

All set:
Ready (to go). Example: "All set?"

All thumbs:
Awkward. Clumsy.

(From) all walks of life:
(From) all social, economic, and ethnic groups. Example: "People from all walks of life voted for him, but he still lost the presidential election."

All-nighter (n.): A period of work or study that lasts all night. Most often used with the verb "pull", ie. "to pull an all-nighter". Example: "We pulled an all-nighter in order to finish the project."

All-out (adj./adv.):
Full-scale; complete. Example: "They said it was only a few skirmishes, but it turned out to be an all-out war."

Ammo (n.): Short form for "ammunition". Example: "I ran out of ammo."

Angle (n.): A devious plan; a scheme. Often used with the verb "to work". Example: "He claims to be on the level, but I'm sure he's working some angle."

Armed to the teeth:
Heavily armed. Example: "The rebels were armed to the teeth."

Around-the-clock (adj/adv.): 24/7, all day and night, non-stop; Example: "The house was being watched around the clock."

As if!: On its own, this phrase is used to suggest/emphasize that something is not likely/ not going happen. Example: "He thinks I'll go out with him. As if!"

At all hours (of the night):
Very late at night; throughout the night. Example: "Her boyfriend would call her at all hours of the night."

At each other's throats:
Fighting or arguing hard. Example: "They were at each other's throats, arguing non stop."

At the end of the day: Ultimately; when all is said and done. Example: "At the end of the day, it's your decision and no one else's."

At this stage:
At this point. Example: "At this stage, it's difficult to say who will win the election."

Awesome (adj.): Great; Fantastic; Super: Example: "That was an awesome movie."



B

B.O.:
(Still used, but feels slightly dated; most people just say "body odor" now.) Example: "The woman sitting beside me had really bad B.O."

Bachelor pad:
An apartment where a single man or woman (sometimes referred to as a "bachelorette pad") lives alone.

Back in the day:
Many years ago; a long time ago. Example: "Back in the day, we used to pay much more for laptops."

(To be) back on one's feet:
(To) recover (usually from an illness). Example: "You'll be back on your feet in no time."

Back to the drawing board:
A phrase that is said when you have to start some process from the beginning (usually after having failed in the previous attempt). Example: "Well, that didn't work... Looks like it's back to the drawing board."

Backhanded compliment:
An insult disguised as a compliment. Example of a backhanded compliment: "Hey, don't feel bad! You're not as fat as you used to be!"

(To) badmouth/bad-mouth:
To verbally criticize; to knock; to talk badly of. Example: "She's such a negative person. All she does is badmouth people all day."

Baggage (n.):
Short for "emotional baggage", which is a collection of painful memories, experiences, mistrust, etc. carried around as a result of negative past experiences/relationships. Example: "I wouldn't get involved with her. She's got a lot of baggage."

(a) ball-park/ballpark figure:
A rough estimate. Example: "Can you give me a ball-park figure of what this project will cost?"

Bandwidth (n.): (Originally a tech term; now widely used in workplace conversations) Capacity or availability to take on more work or responsibility. Example: "I'd love to help but I just don't have the bandwidth right now."

(To) bank on something:
To count or rely on something.

(To) bark up the wrong tree:
To ask the wrong person; to make the wrong choice. Example: "The gangster told the cops they were barking up the wrong tree in thinking he was responsible for the robbery."

Bash (n.):
Party.

(A) basket-case:
A very nervous person; someone at the verge of being neurotic. Example: "All the stress from the divorce turned John into a basket case."

(To) be a fan of someone/ something:
To like, idolize, admire someone/ or something. Example: "I'm not a big fan of heavy metal music."

(To) be in one's element:
To be completely comfortable doing something; to do something that comes very naturally to someone. Example: "When it comes to speaking in public, the senator is in his element."

Be on the same page: To share the same understanding or viewpoint as someone else. Example: "Let's make sure we're all on the same page before we start."

(To) be the case:
To be a reality. To be the way things are. Example: "I wish I had a million dollars, but that's not the case."

(To) be up to no good:
To be planning something bad, mischievous, etc. Example: "I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was up to no good."

Beat (adj.):
Tired. Example: "Man, I'm beat. I'm going to bed."

(To) beat around the bush:
To avoid getting to the point. Example: "Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really think."

(To) beg to differ:
A polite way of saying "to disagree", most often heard in the phrase "I beg to differ!"

(To be) behind (someone):
To be in the past. To no longer be the case. Example: "I used to smoke, drink, and take drugs, but all that is behind me now."

Behind bars:
In jail. Example: "The robbers were caught and are now behind bars."

Believe it or not:
Used at the beginning of a sentence to state that something is true whether one chooses to believe it or not. Example: "Believe it or not, I still care for her."

Bench (someone) (v.): To sideline someone; to remove them from action or responsibility. Example: "The coach benched him for the third quarter after his poor performance."

Benching (v.): (Dating/relationship slang; widely understood) In dating: to keep someone as a backup option without committing to them. Example: "She realized he was benching her when he never actually made plans."

Bent out of shape:
Upset/agitated. Example: "Don't get all bent out of shape over that."

Big picture (the): The overall perspective; the broader context. Example: "Don't get lost in the details — try to focus on the big picture."

Big-shot (noun/adjective):
An important person. Example: "All the big-shots at headquarters never listen to what we have to say."; "A big-shot reporter."

(A) Bimbo:
(Use with caution — increasingly considered offensive rather than casual slang.) Example: "John only talks about his car and his clothes. He's a real bimbo."

(The) birds and the bees:
Sex; human reproduction. Example: "It's about time I talked to my son about the birds and the bees."

(To) bite one's tongue:
To struggle not to say something that you want to say. Example: "I wanted to tell her the truth, but I had to bite my tongue because I had promised Bill that I wouldn't say anything."

Bite the bullet: To endure a painful or difficult situation with courage. Example: "Just bite the bullet and tell her the truth — it'll be better in the long run."

(To) bite the hand that feeds you:
To do harm to someone who helps you.

(A) bite to eat:
A snack, some food. Example: "Let's go grab a bite to eat before we go to the game."

Black sheep (of the family):
The worst or least accepted member of a family. Example: "Peter is the black sheep of his family."

(A) blast:
A great time; a fun time. Example: "We had a blast last night."

(To) blow:
To lose is a wasteful way/ to waste. Example: "Sarah blew all her money on gambling."

(To) blow (someone) away:
To really impress (someone). Example: "We were all blown away by her performance."

(To) blow (someone) out:
In sports, - to win by a large margin, by a lot of points. To be blown out means to lose by a large margin. Example: "Q: How did your team do? A: They were blown out."

(To) blow (something) out of proportion:
To make (something) seem much more important than it actually is. Example: "Of course his reaction was extreme! He always blows things out of proportion."

(To) blow someone's cover:
To reveal someone's secret, or true identity. Example: "The spy was very careful not to blow her cover."

Blow up (v.): To suddenly become very famous, popular, or viral. Example: "That song blew up overnight and now it's everywhere."

Boil the ocean (v.): (Common in business and workplace conversations) To attempt something unnecessarily complicated or impossibly large in scope. Example: "We don't need to boil the ocean here — let's just fix the immediate problem."

(To) bolt (for):
To run (towards). Example: "As soon as I turned around, he bolted for the door."

Booze:
Alcohol.

(to) boss (someone) around: To be bossy towards (someone); to constantly tell (someone) what to do. Example: "It's annoying how she bosses everyone around."

Brain fog (n.): Mental confusion or the inability to think clearly, often from fatigue or illness. Example: "I had terrible brain fog for days after the flu."

Breadcrumbing (v.): (Dating/relationship slang; now widely understood) To send occasional, just-enough signals of interest to keep someone engaged without committing. Example: "He's not serious about her — he's just breadcrumbing."

Break (n.):: Stroke of luck. Example: "We got a big break in the case today!"

(To) break even:
To neither win nor lose. Example: "Michael thought he would lose $200, but he ended up breaking even."

(To) break it up:
To end a fight. Example: "All right, break it up, you two!"

(To) break new ground:
To do something that hasn't been done before; to innovate. Example: "Dr. Davis was breaking new ground in cancer research."

(To) break someone's heart:
To cause someone (strong) emotional pain. Example: "Fiona broke James' heart when she refused to marry him."

(To) break the news to someone/ to break "it" to someone:
To tell someone some important news, usually bad news. Example: "I hate to be the one to break it to you, but your son has been selling stolen baseball cards."

Broke (adj.):
Having no money. Example: "He should really get a job. He's always broke!"

Bum (n.):
Mendicant; Homeless person.

Bummed (adj.):
Disappointed; Dejected. Example: "He was really bummed about having lost the game."

'Burbs (n.pl):
Short for "suburbs"; Example: "Tina lives in the 'burbs with her folks."

Burn bridges (v.): To permanently damage or destroy a relationship or opportunity. Example: "Don't burn bridges on your way out — you never know who you'll need later."

Burnt out:
Exhausted from doing something too much and too intensely (especially used when speaking about work, etc.) Example: "He was completely burnt out after working for three weeks straight."

(To) burst into tears:
To start crying suddenly. Example: "She burst into tears when she heard the news."

Bussin' (adj.): (Originally AAVE; now widely used across communities) Extremely good, especially when describing food. Example: "These tacos are bussin' — best I've ever had."

(To) bust:
To nail; To catch; Example: "He got busted for driving drunk."

Buy in (to something) (v.): To accept, commit to, or invest in an idea or plan. Example: "We need everyone to buy in before we move forward with the project."

(To get) behind (someone/something):
To support (someone/something). Example: "I'm behind you on this."

(To get/jump on the) bandwagon:
To begin to like something/start doing something because it's popular, "hip", or everyone else is doing it. Example: "Everyone's jumping on the tablet bandwagon."

(To give someone a) big hand:
To applaud (for someone) energetically. To give (someone) a big round of applause. Example: "Let's give our performers a big hand!"

(To have a) big mouth:
To not be able to keep a secret. Example: "Don't tell her anything. She's got a really big mouth."

(To really) burn someone up:
To really upset someone. Example: "It really burns me up when he talks to me in that tone of voice."



C

(At the) crack of dawn:
Right at dawn (when the sun comes up). Example: "Whe hit the road at the crack of dawn."

Call (n.): 1) Prediction: Example: "That was a good call on the weather. It rained just like you said that It would.". 2) Decision: Example: "Where do you want to eat. Person 2: It's your call."

(To) call it a day:
To end work and go home. Example: "Let's call it a day. It's getting late."

Call it like you see it (v.): To be direct and honest in one's assessment, regardless of consequences. Example: "I appreciate that she always calls it like she sees it — no sugarcoating."

Call the shots: To make decisions, to be in charge. Example: "I call the shots around here!"

Cancel culture (n.): The phenomenon of withdrawing support from public figures or companies after they've said or done something offensive. Example: "The debate around cancel culture is very divisive right now."

Card someone (v.): To ask someone for ID, especially at a bar, club, or liquor store. Example: "They carded everyone at the door — even the people who were clearly in their 30s."

(To) carry a tune:
To be able to sing on key (accurately). Example: "She has an awful voice! She can't carry a tune."

Cash (n.): Money. Example: "You got any cash on you?"

(To) cash in on something:
To profit from something. Example: "The actor wanted to cash in on his popularity by opening a restaurant."

(A) catch:
When talking about wives, husbands, girlfriends, etc., people sometimes say "He's quite a catch" or "She's quite a catch", which means that the person in question is (or would be) a great partner (usually because of his/her personality, money, or looks).

Catch feelings (v.): (Widely used in everyday informal speech) To develop romantic feelings for someone, often unexpectedly. Example: "I told myself it was just casual, but I started catching feelings."

Catch flak (v.): To receive criticism or negative reaction. Example: "He caught a lot of flak for that comment at the press conference."

Catch some rays (v.): To sunbathe; To go suntanning.

(To) catch someone's eye:
To get someone's attention through eye contact.

Check out (v.): 1) To see ("Let's check out that new movie!") 2) To take a look at ("Check out this cool website!", "Check out that girl!")

Cheesy (adj.): Cheap, tacky. Examples: "A cheesy pick-up line", "A cheesy song".

Chick (n.): Young woman, girl, etc. (Considered offensive by many — best avoided unless you know your audience well.)

Chill out (v.): To relax. Example: "Chill out! Why are you getting so worked up over this?"

Circle back (v.): (Very common in workplace and business conversations) To return to a topic or issue at a later point. Example: "Let's circle back to the budget question after lunch."

Clap back (v.): To respond sharply and confidently to criticism. Example: "She clapped back at the negative reviews with a very funny post."

Class-act (n.): A distinctive person; someone with a lot of class.

(A) clean bill of health:
A report from the doctor that one's health is good; good results from a doctor's medical examination. Example: "I went in for my yearly physical and got a clean bill of health from Dr. Jones."

(To) clear the table:
To remove all dishes, cutlery, etc. from a table after a meal. Example: "You clear the table and I'll do the dishes."

Clock someone (v.): To notice or identify someone; to recognize what someone is doing. Example: "I clocked him the moment he walked in — he was definitely nervous."

(A) close call:
Most often used in the past tense, this can be said of something that almost caused a very dangerous or bad situation. Example: "That was a close call! The train almost hit the motorbike."

Coast-to-coast (adj/adv):
From the Atlantic to the Pacific coast in the United States. Example: "Our car made the coast-to-coast trip in 70 hours".

(To) come away empty handed:
To return without anything. To expect to receive something but to end up receiving nothing. Example: "The union workers came away empty handed from the negotiations."

Come out of nowhere (v.): To appear or happen completely unexpectedly. Example: "That offer came completely out of nowhere — I had no idea they were interested."

(To) come out of the closet:
To reveal that one is gay. Example: "The Republican senator shocked his constituents last June by coming out of the closet."

(To) come to an end:
To finish; to stop. Example: "When the road came to an end, we turned left."

Come to think of it:
I just remembered. Example: "Hey, come to think of it, I do have a sleeping bag you can borrow."

(To) come up short:
To not quite achieve one's goal. Example: "The students tried to raise $1,000 for the school play, but they came up short."

Come what may
Whatever happens. No matter what happens.

Cool (adj.): nice, great, impressive. Example: "a cool dress", "a cool guy", "a cool bar."

Cool down (v.) : Relax, calm down after an argument, etc. Example: "Give him a couple of days to cool down before you call him."

Cop (n.): Police officer. Example: "My brother is a cop."

Copycat (noun or adjective)
Used to refer to someone who imitates/mimics another person, usually used with a negative connotation.

Couch potato : Someone who spends most of his/her time sitting on the couch, watching TV.

(To) cover a lot of ground:
To go through a lot of information. Example: "We've covered a lot of ground in my English class in the past two months."

(To) cover for someone:
To make excuses for someone or to conceal someone's errors. Example: "He asked me to cover to him while he ran out to talk to his girlfriend."

Crack open (v.): In this phrase, the "crack" is only used to emphasize the process of opening. Example: "Crack open a bottle of champagne! It's time to celebrate!" (Open a bottle of champagne! It's time to celebrate!)

Crack the code (v.): To figure out how something works; to solve a difficult problem. Example: "She finally cracked the code on social media marketing and her business took off."

(To) cramp someone's style:
To limit someone in some way. To limit someone from expressing themselves fully. Example: "Get lost. You're cramping my style!"

Crank up (v.): To crank something up means to increase it's volume (significantly) Example: "Crank it up, man! I love that song!"

(To) crash:
To sleep. To go to bed. Example: "Do you think I can crash here tonight?"

Creep (n.): An unpleasantly weird/strange person. Example: "I don't like Tom. He's a bit of a creep."

Creepy (adj.): Unpleasantly weird; something that makes you feel uneasy. Example: "That's a creepy song."

Cringey (adj.): (More natural and current spelling/form than "cringe" as an adjective) Embarrassing; awkward; causing secondhand embarrassment. Example: "That ad campaign was so cringey — I can't believe they approved it."

Crummy (adj.): Bad. *somewhat outdated*

Crush it (v.): To do something extremely well; to perform at a very high level. Example: "She absolutely crushed it at the interview — she got the job on the spot."

(To) cry one's eyes out:
To cry hard. Example: "When her grandfather died, she cried her eyes out for three days straight."

Cushy (adj.): (Still used but starting to feel dated.) Easy and comfortable, especially referring to a job or lifestyle. Example: "A cushy job."

Cut (a deal) (v.): To negotiate a deal; To compromise; to make a deal. Example: "Let's cut a deal. I'll let you use the car if you help around the house."

(A) cut above (something):
Superior/ better (than something). Example: "The commercial claimed that this car company was a cut above the rest."

(To) cut class:
To not go to class. To skip going to class. Example: "Jacob was a very bad student. He was always cutting class to go smoke with his buddies."

(To) cut loose:
To act without restraint, without holding back. Example: "I just want to cut loose this weekend."

Cut to the chase (v.): To get to the point immediately, without preamble. Example: "Cut to the chase — what exactly do you want from me?"

(To not) cut it: To not be enough; to be insufficient. Example: "In this case, saying 'sorry' just doesn't cut it." (Saying 'sorry' is not enough.)



D

Dead: Empty; quiet (said of bars, clubs, restaurants, etc.) Example: "It's really dead in here tonight." (It's empty in here tonight./there are very few people here tonight.)

Dead: Extremely, totally, very. Example: "I'm dead tired." (I'm extremely tired.); "You're dead wrong." (You're totally wrong.)

(A) dead ringer (noun):
A look-alike. Example: "He's a dead ringer for Leonardo Dicaprio." ( = He looks exactly like Leonardo Dicaprio.)

Decent (adj.): Pretty good.

Deep dive (n./v.): A thorough, detailed investigation into something. Example: "We did a deep dive into the data before presenting our findings."

(A) diamond in the rough:
A person (or thing) with good qualities and/or good potential, which cannot be seen right away. Example: "They picked him because they think he's a diamond in the rough and that he'll be a great player in a couple of years."

(To) die of boredom:
To be very bored. Example: "I often think I'm going to die of boredom in his class."

Dig (v.): To like. *this word is somewhat outdated*

Dirt cheap:
Very cheap (inexpensive). Example: "The hotel we stayed in was dirt cheap, but our room was very nice."

Dirty: Overtly/openly sexual; obscene. Example: "Those lyrics are really dirty."

Dis (v.): Short for "to disrespect"; To talk about someone in a disrespectful manner.

Ditch (v.): to leave, get rid of (usually said of something that is "slowing you down" or is "unnecessary"). Example: "The thieves ditched the car and got on a bus."; "He ditched her at the altar."

Do a 180 (v.): To completely reverse one's position or opinion. Example: "He said he'd support the bill, so everyone was surprised when he did a complete 180 and voted against it."

Do an about face (v.): To radically change one's opinion/position. Example: "He said he would support the bill, so everyone was surprised when he did an about face and voted against it."

(To) do the dishes:
To wash the dishes. Example: "Could you do the dishes tonight?"

Dog whistle (n.): A message that appears innocent on the surface but has a coded meaning understood by a specific group. Example: "Critics accused the speech of containing several dog whistles."

Don't hold your breath:
Don't wait for it to happen because it probably won't. Example: "You think David will break up with Tina? Don't hold your breath!"

Don't let it get you down:
Don't let it upset you; don't allow it to make you feel bad.

Dork (n.): Strange person; someone without "social graces"; weirdo.

Double down (v.): To strengthen one's commitment to something, often in the face of criticism or opposition. Example: "Despite the backlash, she doubled down on her original position."

Dough (n.): Money.

Down (v.): To eat/drink quickly. Example: "We downed a couple of beers and left for the club."

Down bad (adj.): (Gen Z / informal) In a very unfortunate situation; desperately infatuated with someone. Example: "He texted her at 2am. He's really down bad."

Down the drain:
Wasted. Lost forever. Example: "I tried to get this business going for five years, but I went bankrupt. That's five years down the drain."

(A) downer:
An event that causes one to be sad. Example: "Your girlfriend broke up with you? What a downer!"

Doze off (v.): To fall asleep. Example: "I dozed off during the movie."

(A) drag:
Boring; a disappointment. Example: "The party was a real drag."

Drama queen: Someone who gets overly emotional/sentimental about things. Someone who thrives on the dramatic. Example: "Betty is such a drama queen!"

(A) dream come true:
A great thing; a dream or wish that has become reality. Example: "Living in California is like a dream come true."

Drill down (v.): (Common in business and data contexts) To examine something in more detail; to go deeper into a topic or data. Example: "Let's drill down into the numbers before we make any decisions."

Drink the Kool-Aid (v.): (Originally a reference to the 1978 Jonestown tragedy; now used broadly) To unquestioningly adopt the beliefs or culture of a group, often a company or movement. Example: "He's completely drunk the Kool-Aid since joining that startup."

(To) drive a hard bargain:
To be firm when bargaining about something. Example: "You drive a hard bargain, but alright, I'll pay you $10 for the lamp."

(To) drive someone crazy:
To make someone very agitated, upset, or emotional (most often in a bad way). Example: "That loud music is driving me crazy! Turn it down!"

(To) drop it:
To stop talking about something. Example: "I told you to drop it! I don't want to talk about it."

(To) drop the ball:
To make a mistake. (WARNING: This idiom is overused in the business world). Example: "P1: So it was John's fault? P2: Yes, John really dropped the ball on this one."

(To) drown one's sorrows:
To get/ become drunk. Example: "Drowning your sorrows won't solve anything."

(To) dump someone: (very informal)
To end a relationship with someone; to break up with someone. To stop seeing someone (romantically). Example: "She dumped me."

Dumpster fire (n.): A chaotic, disastrous situation that is very difficult to manage. Example: "That meeting was an absolute dumpster fire from start to finish."



E

Ease off (v.) (also "ease up"): To start doing something less intensely. Example: "Don't criticize him so much. Ease off a little bit!"

Easy come, easy go:
PROVERB. Said to explain the loss of something that was very easily obtained in the first place.

Easy! (command):
Not so fast! Calm down! Example: "Easy! Don't eat so fast!"

Easy-going:
Tolerant; laid-back; relaxed. Example: "Bill is one the most easy-going guys that I know. He never gets upset about anything."

(To) eat one's heart out:
To be envious or jealous (used mostly as a command). Example: "Eat your heart out Frank, I'm going to Paris!"

(To) eat one's words:
To admit that what one said was wrong. Example: "You think I won't be able to find work in one week? I'm going to make you eat your words."

(To) eat up:
1) To enjoy thoroughly. Example: "He eats up the publicity."; 2) To use up. Example: "Playing video games will eat up your cell phone battery."; 3) To believe (without questioning). Example: "She's so gullible. She'll eat up anything you tell her.

Eating: Bothering. Example: "What's eating him?" (What's bothering him?)

Elbow room:
Enough space (room) to feel comfortable.

Elephant in the room (the): An obvious problem or issue that everyone is aware of but nobody wants to address. Example: "The budget deficit is the elephant in the room that no one at the meeting mentioned."

End game (n.): The ultimate goal or final objective. Example: "I don't understand his end game — what does he actually want?"

Enough is enough:
That is enough and there should be no more; usually said when one has had enough of a certain situation.

(To) enter one's mind:
To cross one's mind; to start thinking about something. Example: "You want me to become a doctor? The thought never even entered my mind."

Every other:
Every second. Alternate. Example: "In Los Angeles, every other person is an actor."

Every so often:
Once in while; occasionally. Example: "I think about her every so often."

Expecting:
Pregnant. Example: "She is expecting."

Eye-opener (n.): Something that makes you realize something. Example: "That video was a real eye-opener. I had no idea things were that bad."

(To give someone) an earful:
(To give someone) a strong verbal scolding. Example: "Katie's father really gave her an earful when she came home at 4 AM."



F

(To) face the music:
To accept the (unpleasant) consequences of what you have done. Example: "After years of bad decision making, the CEO finally had to face the music."

Fair and square: Completely fairly. Example: "He won fair and square."

Fair-weather friend
A person who is only your friend when things are going well for you.

(To) fall flat (on one's face):
To fail. To be unsuccessful. Example: "The initiative fell flat on its face."

Fall for (v.): Believe (in a gullible way). Example: "I'm not going to fall for that old trick."

(To) fall into place:
To become organized; to fit together. Example: "Once I started meditating, everything in my life began to fall into place."

Fall short (v.): To not be enough. Example: "His efforts fell short."

Fall through (v.): To fail to happen as planned; to not come to fruition. Example: "The deal fell through at the last minute — we're back to square one."

(A) falling out:
A disagreement/break in a friendship. Example: "We had a falling out over what she said."

(A) far cry:
Very different (often in a worse way). Example: "This wine is nice, but it's a far cry from the wine we had yesterday."

(To) feel like a new person:
To feel refreshed, rejuvenated.

(To) feel out of place:
To feel like you don't belong. Example: "We went to Mary's party last night. We didn't really know anyone, so we felt a little out of place."

Feel some type of way (v.): (Informal; widely used in everyday American speech) To have strong but hard-to-articulate feelings about something. Example: "I feel some type of way about how that conversation went."

(A) fifth wheel:
Useless, out of place, unnecessary. Example: "There were only couples there. I felt like a fifth wheel."

(To) fill someone's shoes:
To replace someone. To do something someone else used to do. Example: "Cathy has been working here for 20 years. It's going to be hard to find someone to fill her shoes."

(A) fine line:
Not much difference. Example: "Sometimes there's a fine line between love and infatuation."

First and foremost:
First and most importantly. Example: "First and foremost, you have to treat every customer with respect."

First thing:
Before anything else. Example: "Call me first thing tomorrow morning."

(To) fish for a compliment:
To try very hard to get a compliment from someone. Example: "Stop fishing for a compliment. It's really annoying."

Fishy (adj.): Suspicious. Example: "There's something fishy about the way he's behaving."

(To) fix someone (some food - like cocoa, oatmeal, etc.):
To prepare (some food) for someone. Example: "I'll fix you a cup of cocoa."

Flat broke:
Very poor. Having absolutely no money. Example: "I'm flat broke, but I don't care."

Flip out (v.): To get very upset (to the point of starting to scream, etc.); Freak out.

Flip side: Opposite/other side. Examples: "the flip side of the coin", "the flip side of this argument."

Folks (n.pl.): Parents. Example: "My folks live in Atlanta."

(To) follow one's heart:
To act according to your feelings/ emotions. Example: "I couldn't decide what to do, so I just followed my heart."

FOMO (n.): (Abbreviation; now used widely in everyday speech) Fear of missing out — anxiety about missing an exciting event or opportunity. Example: "I only went to the party because of FOMO, honestly."

Food for thought:
Something to think about.

For the long haul (prep.): For a long period of time; with a long-term commitment. Example: "We're in this relationship for the long haul — we're not going anywhere."

For what it's worth: This is basically like saying "I don't know whether or not this of any value, but..." Example: "For what it's worth, I never wanted things to end up like this."

(A) fork in the road:
A point when a road splits in two directions. Example: "They came to a fork in the road, and had to decide whether to go left or right."

Freak (n.): Strange person. (*fairly negative/derogatory these days*)

Freak out (b.): To get very upset (to the point of starting to scream, etc.) Example: "When he found out that she had sold the furniture, he freaked out."

Free-and-easy:
(Almost never heard in natural American speech today.) Example: "Sarah was looking for a free-and-easy relationship."

Freebie (n.): Something you get for free, that you don't have to pay for.

(A) fresh pair of eyes:
A new reader, someone who hasn't seen something before. Example: "Hey can you come check out this report? We need a fresh pair of eyes."

(A) full plate:
A busy schedule. Example: "P1: Mark can you help me with this project? P2: Not really, I've got a full plate right now."

Fun and games:
Playing around. Time spent doing worthless things. Example: "OK, Neil, the fun and games are over. It's time to get down to work."



G

(To be) a go: To happen. Most often heard in expressions such as "It's a go." (It's going to happen), "I thought it was a go" (I thought it was going to happen), etc.

Game changer (n.): Something that significantly alters a situation or how things are done. Example: "That new software was a real game changer for our whole team."

Gawk (v.): To stare (stupidly). Example: "Those men were gawking at us."

Gaydar (n.): (Felt edgy-funny in 2005; now considered dated and potentially offensive depending on context.) Example: "My gaydar was a little off. I was sure he was straight."

Geek (n.): A (slightly) strange person who is obsessed with things such as music, electronics, video games, etc.

Get (v.): To understand. Examples: "I don't get it.", "I don't get him."

Get a kick out of (something): To enjoy (something) Example: "Why does he get such a kick out of watching her suffer?"

(To) get a move on:
To go or do something quickly, to get going, etc. Example: "Hey if we want to make the 8:00 PM show we should get a move on."

(To) get carried away:
To exaggerate/ go too far/ to become emotional. Example: "I got carried away. I bought 10 shirts!"; "She got carried away when she started talking about the war."

(To) get caught up:
To become involved, especially emotionally. Example: "I just got caught up in his plan and couldn't think straight."

(To) get cold feet:
To become timid or frightened. Example: "I usually get cold feet when I have to speak in public."

(To) get down to business:
To start working seriously. Example: "Enough playing around. Let's get down to business."

Get ghosted (v.): To be suddenly and completely ignored by someone with no explanation. Example: "She was really into him, but then he totally ghosted her."

Get in one's head (v.): To cause someone to overthink or doubt themselves. Example: "Don't let their comments get in your head — you know what you're doing."

(To) get on someone's nerves:
To annoy someone; to bother or irritate someone. Example: "I know that he's harmless, but he still gets on my nerves for some reason."

(To) get one's fill (or fix) of something:
To have enough of something. To have a lot of something. Example: "She's had her fill of his lying ways."

(To) get one's foot in the door:
To get started in a process; to attain a favorable position which will help one work toward a goal. Example: "I'm trying to find a better job, but I can't get my foot in the door."

(To) get rid of (something/someone):
To eliminate. To throw away. To hide. Examples: "This detergent gets rid of dirt better than any other one that I've used."; "Get rid of the cigarette! Your mother's coming!"

(To) get something off one's chest:
To say something that has been on your mind; to say something that has been bothering you. Example: "Did you tell her about Hawaii? Yes, and I felt much better once I got that off my chest."

(To) get something straight:
To clarify something. To understand something clearly. Example: "Let me get this straight. Your mother's cousin stole money from your father's cousin's daughter?"

(To) get that all the time:
To hear something constantly. Example: "P1: Hey, you really look like Brad Pitt! P2: Yeah, I get that all the time."

Get the ball rolling (v.): To start something; to initiate a process. Example: "Let's get the ball rolling on the new project — we've waited long enough."

(To) get the blues:
To become sad or depressed.

Get to the point: To be direct. Example: "Stop beating around the bush and get to the point!"

Gig: Concert (when talking about musicians/bands); An acting engagement (when talking about actors).

Gig economy (n.): The economic system characterized by short-term contracts and freelance work rather than permanent employment. Example: "She's been living off the gig economy for two years — driving, delivering, freelancing."

Give it a shot (v.): To try something, especially something new or uncertain. Example: "I'd never played tennis before, but I gave it a shot and actually enjoyed it."

Give me a break: This phrase can be used to 1) express disbelief at something you think is untrue ("You went out with Miss America? Give me a break!"), or 2) to express disbelief that something is ridiculous (but true), expensive, etc. ("$2000 per month for this apartment?? Give me a break!")

(To) give someone a call:
To call someone (on the telephone). Example: "I'll give you call tomorrow morning."

(To) give someone a piece of one's mind:
To bawl someone out. To let someone know how one really feels. Example: "After that driver took my parking spot, I really gave him a piece of my mind."

(To) give someone the benefit of the doubt:
To believe in someone despite information that makes them seem guilty of something. Example: "Hey, don't believe the rumors. Give him the benefit of the doubt."

Glitzy (adj.): (Still understood but feels like it belongs in a 1990s magazine.) Example: "A glitzy hotel"

Glow up (n./v.): (Widely used in social media and everyday speech) A dramatic improvement in appearance, confidence, or overall status. Example: "She had a serious glow up after college — barely recognizable."

Glued to one's seat: To be "glued to one's seat" means to be so interested in something that one is unwilling/unable to move from where one is sitting.

(To) go Dutch:
To pay for oneself when going out in a group.

(To) go over something with a fine toothed comb:
To go over something very carefully, especially checking for errors. Example: "Here's the report. Make sure to go over it with a fine toothed comb."

(To) go overboard:
To do too much; to exaggerate. Example: "They really went overboard with the party preparations."

(To) go to someone's head:
To make someone overly conceited or proud. Example: "That award that he won really went to his head."

(To) go up in flames:
To burn; to be consumed in flames. Example: "The house went up in flames and the firefighters had a hard time putting out the fire."

Go viral (v.): To spread rapidly and widely across the internet. Example: "That video went viral overnight and now has 50 million views."

Go with (v.): To choose. To decide on. Example: "I'm gonna go with the blue shirt." (I've decided on the blue shirt.)

Go with the flow (v.): To accept things (the way they are). Example: "I'm just gonna go with flow and see what happens."

(A) go-getter:
*somewhat outdated* An aggressive employee; a hard worker. Example: "Jim is a real go-getter."

Go-to (adj./n.): The preferred, most reliable option. Example: "This is my go-to restaurant when I want to impress someone."

(A) golden opportunity:
A good chance to succeed, a good investment. Example: "I didn't have enough money to buy that restaurant. I missed a golden opportunity."

Gonna: Short for "going to". Example: "I'm gonna call you tomorrow."

Gotta: Short for "have got to" or "have to". Example: "I gotta go."

Grass (n.): Marijuana; Pot.

Green flag (n.): (Opposite of red flag; widely used in dating and everyday contexts) A positive sign or quality in a person or situation. Example: "He remembered her coffee order without being asked — total green flag."

Gross (adj.): Disgusting. Example: "That's gross!"

Grub (n.): Slightly rude term for "food".

Gut: Belly. Example: "I lost my gut when I stopped drinking beer."

Gut check (n.): A moment of honest self-reflection; a check of one's instincts or values. Example: "Before we commit to this, let's do a gut check — does it feel right?"

Guts: Courage. Example: "You don't have the guts to do that."

To get one's mind off (something): To stop thinking about (something). Example: "The night out really helped me get my mind off my problems for a while."



H

Half-baked (adj.):
Foolish. Example: "He came up with a half-baked plan to win back his girlfriend."

Hand-me-down (adj.):
Usually said of clothing that has been passed on from one person to another. Example: "A hand-me-down dress"

Hands down:
Easily; by far. Example: "She is hands down the most beautiful girl in class."

Hang in there!: This basically means "don't give up!"

Hang on:
To wait (for a short time); to hold on. Example: "Hang on. Let me just finish this email and I'll be right with you."

(To) hang on someone's every word:
To listen very carefully to someone. Example: "Grandpa was telling a story and the kids were hanging on his every word."

Hassle (n.): A problem; Something that is inconvenient, problematic for you. Example: "I had to go back to that office three times to get things done... What a hassle!"

Hassle (v.): To bother; To nag. Example: "Stop hassling him about that!"

Hate (someone/something) with a passion: To hate (someone/something) very much.

(To) hate someone's guts:
To hate someone very much.

(To) have a big mouth:
To be a gossiper. To be a person who can't keep a secret. Example: "Don't tell my cousin any secrets. She has a big mouth."

(To) have a lot going for (someone):
To have a lot of good things in one's life; to have many things working to one's benefit. Example: "She has a lot going for her: she's smart, she's attractive, and she has a good job."

(To) have a sweet tooth:
To love to eat candy or other sweets.

(To) have an edge:
To have an advantage. Example: "When it comes to speed, he has an edge over the other players."

(To) have mixed feelings (about something):
To be unsure or uncertain about something. Example: "Some of the partners had mixed feelings about the merger."

(To) have one's hands full:
To be busy, occupied with some kind of activity, work, etc. Example: "I have my hands full with my three children."

(To) have one's heart set on something:
To really want (and/or expect) something to happen. Example: "Julie has her heart set on going to London this summer."

Have skin in the game (v.): To have a personal stake or investment in something. Example: "He has skin in the game — he invested his own money, so he's very motivated."

Have the hots for (someone): To be physically attracted to (someone); Example: "She's got the hots for her new co-worker."

Head in the clouds: Distracted; dreamy; out of touch with reality. Example: "He's got his head in the clouds if he thinks that plan will actually work."

Hick (n.): A redneck; a backwards, ignorant person with a very limited intelligence. (Increasingly considered a slur; use with caution and context.)

High (adj.): Intoxicated on drugs. Example: "He looked and behaved like he was high."

(A) hit:
A popular song or film. A success. Example: "Every song they put out becomes a hit."

(To) hit a snag:
To run into a problem. Example: "The project hit a snag when testing failed to produce favorable results."

(To) hit bottom:
To reach the lowest point. Example: "Two years after he started to abuse alcohol, he hit bottom."

Hit on (someone) (v.) : To try to seduce (someone); To put the moves on (someone). Example: "Bob was hitting on me last night."

Hit the nail on the head (v.): To be exactly right; to identify something precisely. Example: "You hit the nail on the head with that analysis — that's exactly the problem."

(To) hit the road:
To leave, start on a trip, etc. Example: "It's already 9:00 AM. We have to hit the road!"

Hit the sack (v.) : To go to bed. Example: "I'm going to hit the sack. I'm really beat."

(To) hit the spot:
To satisfy a need exactly. To be exactly right (often said about food or drinks). Example: "That was a delicious meal. It hit the spot."

Hits different (phr.): (Widely used in everyday speech) Affects you more deeply or in a different way than usual. Example: "Listening to that song after a breakup hits different."

Hold on!
Wait. Example: "Hold on, I'll be with you in just a moment."

(To be) homesick
To miss one's home, country, city, etc. Example: "Francesca is really homesick. She really wants to go back to Italy."

Hoodie: A hooded sweatshirt. Example: "My mom bought me a black hoodie at the GAP."

Hooker (n.): Prostitute.

Hoopla (n.): (Barely used anymore — "hype" has almost completely replaced it.) See "Hype" below.

Hot (adj.): Physically attractive.

Hot take (n.): A controversial or provocative opinion stated quickly and confidently, often online. Example: "That's a very hot take, but I see where you're coming from."

Hottie (n.): Very attractive man or woman. Example: "Lisa is such a hottie."

How on earth...? How in the world...?
When asking a question, "How on earth..." and "How in the world..." emphasize the fact that something incredible or very hard to believe happened. Example: "How on earth did you get that job? (it was very hard to get)"; "How on earth did you fix that car!? (it was impossible to fix)".

(To be) hung up on (v.): (to be) obsessed/ overly interested in something. Example: "He's really hung up on his looks." (He's really obsessed with the way he looks.)

Hustle (n./v.): (Used both approvingly and neutrally in everyday American speech) Hard work and determination; to work very hard or aggressively seek opportunities. Example: "Respect the hustle — she built that business from nothing."

Hype (n.): Extreme promotion and the commotion that follows; Hoopla. Example: "That CD doesn't live up to the hype." (That CD isn't as good as they're promoting it to be/ as good as everything says it is).

Hyped (adj.): Really excited. Example: "We're all hyped about the concert next weekend."

(I've/he's/you've, etc...) had it: Said when you've had enough of a situation, when you're endured all that you could. Example: "I've had it with their daily parties. I haven't been able to sleep well for weeks!"



I

I'm obsessed (phr.): (Extremely common in everyday informal speech) An expression of extreme enthusiasm or admiration for something. Example: "Have you tried that new restaurant? I'm obsessed."

I can't even (phr.): (Very common in informal everyday speech) An expression of being so overwhelmed, amused, or exasperated that words fail. Example: "Did you see what he posted? I literally can't even."

Icky (adj.): Gross, disgusting.

If worse (or worst) comes to worst:
If things get really bad. Example: "If worse comes to worst, we can always fire him."

Iffy (adj.): Uncertain. Example: "That's a little iffy at this point."

Ill-at-ease (adj.):
Uncomfortable. Example: "She seemed to be ill-at-ease talking to the doctor about her problems".

In a bad way:
Not well; in bad shape. Example: "He was in a bad way, partly because of all the alcohol that he drank daily."

In a bind: In a predicament; in a difficult situation. Example: "I'm in a bit of a bind. Do you think you can help me out?"

In a row: One after another; Straight. Example: "Our team has won five games in a row."

In advance:
Ahead of time. Example: "In the future, could you let me know about these things in advance?"

In and out:
Coming in and going out often. Example: "She's been in and out all day."

In bad taste:
Rude. Vulgar. Obscene. Example: "John's jokes are always in bad taste."

In broad daylight:
Publicly visible in the daytime. Example: "This city is very dangerous. You can get robbed in broad daylight."

In good shape/ condition:
Physically and functionally sound and sturdy. "Shape" is generally used more for people. Example: "The car is in good condition. Bill is in good shape."

In mint condition:
In perfect condition (not used for people). Example: "This baseball card is in mint condition."

In no mood to do something:
To not feel like doing something; to not want to do something. Example: "I'm in no mood to cook dinner tonight."

In no time: Very soon. Example: "Don't worry. We'll be there in no time."

In season:
Currently available for selling (often said of fresh fruit and vegetables). Example: "Tomatoes are very cheap now because they're in season."

In stock:
Available for purchase, as in goods in a store. Example: "P1: Do you have any more of these books in stock? P2: No, I'm sorry we don't."

In the air:
Everywhere. All around. Example: "Love is in the air, everywhere you look around."

In the cards: Likely (to happen). Example: "A promotion is not in the cards for him." (He most likely will not be promoted).

In the doghouse: In trouble. To be in the doghouse = To be in trouble.

In the long run:
Over a long period of time; ultimately. Example: "He smokes a lot now, and I'm afraid that in the long run it will cost him his health."

In the loop (adj.): Informed about what is happening; included in communication. Example: "Keep me in the loop on this — I want to know every development."

In the same boat:
In the same situation (usually negative). Example: "I know exactly how you feel because I'm in the same boat."

In the works: Currently being worked on, developed. Example: "Our new website is in the works."

(To be) in with (someone):
(To be) friends or friendly with (someone). Example: "At high school, he was in with the wrong crowd. That's why he always got in trouble."

It is what it is: An expression of acceptance about something that cannot be changed. Example: "I know it's not ideal, but it is what it is — let's just move forward."

It slaps (v.): (Widely used in informal speech, especially about music) Said of a song or food that is really good. Example: "Have you heard that new track? It absolutely slaps."

It's giving... (phr.): (Gen Z / very informal; widely heard on social media and in everyday speech) It resembles or strongly evokes something. Example: "That outfit is giving 80s prom."



J

Jack up (v.): To increase (prices, etc.) by a high margin. Example: "The street vendors jack up their prices on holidays."

Jack-of-all-trades:
A person who knows how to do a lot of different things.

Jam (n.): Predicament, problem. Example: "I'm in a bit of a jam here. Do you think you can help me?"

Jam-packed:
Very crowded. Example: "The stadium was jam-packed on Saturday."

Jiffy: (Old-fashioned — most Americans today just say "sec" or "minute".) In a jiffy = Very quickly = In no time

Jinx (v.): To bring bad luck or failure by saying something. Example: "Stop saying that! You're gonna jinx me."

John (n.) : Bathroom, toilet, can.

(To) jump all over someone/ jump down someone's throat:
To criticize or blame someone. Example: "As soon as I told her I was going out with my friends, she jumped all over me."

(To) jump at:
To quickly accept. Example: "The journalist jumped at the chance to interview Ryan Gosling."

Jump on board (v.): To join or enthusiastically support something. Example: "A lot of investors jumped on board after the announcement."

Jump ship (v.): To leave one's job suddenly, usually to go work somewhere else.

(To) jump the gun:
To get something started too soon; to start too soon. Example: "We have to do a lot more work before we launch this product. We don't want to jump the gun."

Junkie (n.): Addict.

Just about:
Almost. Example: "I'm just about finished."

Just now:
Just a minute ago. Example: "He called me just now to tell me he was going to quit his job."

Just plain (adj.): Clearly; simply. Example: "He's just plain stupid."

Just saying (phr.): (Very common in casual everyday speech) Used after a potentially sensitive or blunt statement to soften it slightly. Example: "That probably wasn't the best idea. Just saying."

Just what the doctor ordered:
Exactly what is needed. Example: "This vacation is just what the doctor ordered."



K

Keel over (v.): (Very rarely heard in natural American conversation.) A rude way of saying "to die".

(To be) keen on: To like; To be fond of; Example: "I'm not really keen on this idea."

(To) keep a low profile:
To lay low; to not attract attention to oneself by talking loudly, dressing in flashy clothes, causing trouble, etc. Example: "The bank robbers knew that they had to keep a low profile until they crossed the border."

(To) keep a straight face:
To force oneself not to laugh, even though one wants to. Example: "He was saying the stupidest things, and I was finding it hard to keep a straight face."

(To) keep an eye on (someone/something):
To watch/pay attention to (someone/something). Example: "I have to go to the store. Can you please keep an eye on the baby for 10 minutes?"

Keep it real (v.): To be honest, genuine, and authentic. Example: "I appreciate that she always keeps it real with me — no fake niceness."

(To) keep one's cool:
To remain calm. Example: "It's not easy to keep one's cool in stressful situations."

(To) keep one's word:
To uphold one's promise. Example: "He's a very honorable person who always keeps his word."

(To) keep someone posted:
To keep someone informed. Example: "I'm not sure what the plan is for this evening, but I'll keep you posted."

(To) keep someone up:
To not allow someone to sleep. Example: "The neighbors' party kept me up all night."

(To) keep something to oneself:
To not let others know about something; to not reveal something. Example: "Hey, don't tell anyone about your time in prison. Keep it to yourself."

Keep tabs on (v.): To monitor or closely watch someone or something. Example: "She's been keeping tabs on the situation all week."

(To) keep track of (something):
To maintain a record of (something). Example: "I don't know where all my money goes. It's hard to keep track of my expenses."

(A) kept man/woman:
Someone who is in a relationship where the other person pays for everything. Example: "Stephen is a kept man. His girlfriend always pays for everything."

(To) kick back:
To relax. Example: "My brother and I are going to kick back and have a couple of beers."

(To) kick oneself:
To regret. Example: "I'm kicking myself for not having bought that car when I had the chance."

Kill it (v.): To do something extremely well; to perform brilliantly. Example: "You're absolutely killing it out there — keep going!"

(To) kill time:
To waste time. Example: "I'm just killing time until my brother arrives."

Killer (adj.): Great; amazing. Example: "A killer new application", "A killer new product"

Klutz (n.): A clumsy person. Example: "My brother is such a klutz. He's always bumping into things and knocking them over."

Knock (someone) up: To get (someone) pregnant; Knocked up = pregnant.

Knock (v.): To talk negatively/badly of; to criticize, badmouth. Example: "Don't knock it until you try it/ until you've tried it."

Knock it off!:
Stop it!

Knock on wood:
A phrase said to cancel out (imaginary) bad luck. *Touch wood* is also used in some parts of the English-speaking world.

(To) know something inside-out:
To know something completely and thoroughly. Example: "Let me show you around. I know this neighborhood inside-out."

Know-it-all (noun):
A person who acts like they know everything (slightly derogatory). Example: "P1: Robert is so conceited! P2: Yeah, he's a real know-it-all."



L

(A) lady-killer:
(Feels very dated; mostly used ironically today.) Example: "He thinks of himself as quite the lady-killer. Unfortunately for him, women don't see him that way."

Laid-back (adj.): Relaxed, easy-going. Example: "I like Tom. He's really laid-back."

Lame (adj.): Inadequate; Bad. Example: "That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard."

Last but not least:
Last in order but not last in importance. Example: "Last but not least, I'd like to thank my parents."

Last ditch (adj.):
Final (*has a slight connotation of "desperate"*). Example: "They made a last-ditch effort to win the game, but came up short."

Last-ditch (adj.): Final, desperate. (Often used with the words "effort", "attempt", etc.) Example: "He made a last-ditch effort to catch up to the front-runner."

Later: Short for "See you later."

Laugh (one's) head off: To laugh very hard. Example: "I laughed my head off throughout the whole movie."

(To) lay a finger on someone:
To touch someone even very slightly. Example: "If you so much as lay a finger on him, you will be in trouble."

(To) lay low:
SEE "KEEP A LOW PROFILE"

Leave a bad taste in (someone's) mouth: Leave (someone) with bad feelings. Example: "That whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth."

(To) leave a bad taste in someone's mouth:
To leave a negative impression on someone. Example: "The experience left a bad taste in my mouth."

(To) leave someone alone:
To stop bothering someone. Example: "Leave me alone! I don't want to talk to anyone."

Leave someone hanging: To not help someone when they ask for help, when they're in trouble. Example: "Don't leave me hanging... I'm counting on you!"

(To) leave someone high and dry:
*somewhat antiquated* To leave someone helpless.

Legit (adj.): Short for "legitimate".

Lemme: Short for "let me".

Let (someone) have it : To attack someone (physically or verbally) with force. "Let them have it" is often shortened as "To let 'em have it" Example: "After the boys broke Mr. Smith's window, he came out and really let 'em have it."

(To) let off steam:
To release energy or anger. Example: "P1: Victor went drinking, and got into a fight. P2: That's OK, he's just letting off a little steam."

(To) let someone off the hook:
To release someone from responsibility. Example: "Natalie said she didn't want to wash the dishes, but her mom didn't let her off the hook."

(To) let something slide:
To neglect something. To ignore something. Example: "I'm going to let it slide this time, but next time be more careful!"

Letdown (n.): Disappointment. Example: "I was sure that my team would win, but they lost. What a letdown!"

Level up (v.): To improve, advance, or reach the next stage. Example: "I need to seriously level up my cooking skills before the holidays."

(A) lift:
A ride. Example: "She gave me a lift to the airport."

Lighten up (v.): To relax; to not take things too seriously. Example: "You gotta learn to lighten up a bit!"

Literally (adv.): (One of the most commonly used intensifiers in modern American English — worth knowing even though it drives grammar purists crazy) Used for emphasis, even when what follows is not literally true. Example: "I'm literally dying of boredom in this meeting."

Little by little:
Slowly, gradually. Example: "Little by little she started to like living in New York City."

(A) little off:
Not quite even, normal. Example: "There was something a little off about the way she was behaving."

Living rent-free in one's head (phr.): (Very common in everyday speech and online) Said of a thought, person, or memory that someone can't stop thinking about. Example: "That argument is living rent-free in my head — I keep replaying it."

(To) lock horns:
To argue; to have a dispute; to disagree. Example: "Peter and his counterpart in France locked horns about how to implement the new regulations."

(A) long shot:
Something that has a slim (small) chance of happening. Example: "They might win, but it's a long shot."

(To) look the other way:
To ignore something on purpose. Example: "In some countries, customs officials can be paid to look the other way."

Loop in (v.): (Extremely common in workplace communication) To include someone in a conversation or email chain. Example: "Loop in Sarah when you send that email — she needs to be aware."

(To) lose (someone):
This is often used when someone is chasing someone OR being chased by someone. If you're being chased by someone and you manage to get away you can say "I lost him!" (I evaded him.) The person chasing you can say the same thing "I lost him." (He got away.)

Lose it (v.): To lose control emotionally; to become very upset or angry. Example: "When she saw the mess in the kitchen, she completely lost it."

(To) lose one's temper:
To become angry. Example: "He has a short fuse and loses his temper quite often."

(To) lose one's train of thought:
To forget what one was thinking/ talking about. Example: "What was I saying? I lost my train of thought."

Loser (n.): A person who fails at everything s/he tries/does in life. *not a very nice thing to say to someone!

Lost in thought:
Busy thinking. Example: "I called out to her three times, but she was lost in thought."

Lousy (adj.): Terrible. Example: "She's a lousy singer!"

Low-hanging fruit (n.): (Very common in business and everyday speech) The easiest tasks or goals to achieve; obvious opportunities requiring minimal effort. Example: "Let's go for the low-hanging fruit first and tackle the harder problems later."

Lowball, low-ball (v.): To (deliberately) underestimate or make an offer for something that is significantly below its fair value. Example: "They tried to lowball me, but I knew how much they paid the guy before me."

(To) lower one's voice:
To talk more softly. Example: "Lower your voice, my parents are asleep."

Lowkey (adj./adv.): (Very common in everyday informal speech, especially among younger speakers) Subtle; understated; secretly or quietly. Example: "I'm lowkey obsessed with that show — I've watched it three times."

(A) lucky break:
Good luck, good fortune. Example: "I was supposed to speak at the meeting today, but I found out it was cancelled. What a lucky break!"



M

Mag (n.): Short form for "magazine".

Main character energy (n.): (Widely used in everyday speech and social media) Acting as if you are the protagonist of your own story; confidence and self-focus. Example: "She walked into that interview with full main character energy."

(To) make a beeline for (somewhere):
To head directly to (somewhere). Example: "Whenever he comes into the cafeteria, he makes a beeline for the grilled vegetables."

Make a big deal about (something) (v.): To make (something) seem very important. Example: "I don't understand why he's making such a big deal about this."

(To) make a bundle:
To make a lot of money (one time). Example: "I made a bundle when I sold my Microsoft stock last month."

Make a go of (something) (v.): To succeed in/with (something).

Make a killing: To make a lot of money. Example: "My uncle made a killing selling Chilean wine in Asia."

(To) make a long story short:
To bring a story to an end; To sum things up.

(To) make a pass (at someone):
To make romantic advances; to hit on (someone). Example: "Karl was fired because he made a pass at his co-worker Fiona."

Make bank (v.): (Informal; widely used) To make a lot of money. Example: "She switched careers and is now making bank in tech."

(To) make believe:
To pretend. Example: "When your friends come, let's make believe ( = pretend) we don't know each other."

(To) make ends meet:
To have enough money to pay one's basic expenses; to barely get by. Example: "This city is so expensive that it's hard to make ends meet sometimes."

(To) make good money:
To make a lot of money (regularly). Example: "Shawn doesn't like his job, but he makes good money."

Make it rain (v.): To spend or distribute money freely and generously. Example: "The investors were making it rain at the launch party."

(To) make life miserable for someone:
To cause someone lots of problems. Example: "Patricia's boss is making life miserable for her."

(To) make light of something:
To treat something as if it were trivial or unimportant. Example: "Don't make light of the situation. It's more serious than you think."

(To) make oneself at home:
To feel as comfortable as one would being at home. Example: "During your visit, just make yourself at home."

(To) make someone's head spin:
To make someone dizzy or disoriented. Example: "All that alcohol made my head spin."

(To) make something from scratch:
To make something by starting with the basic ingredients. Example: "P1: Did you bake that cake? P2: No, I made it from scratch."

(To) make up one's mind:
To make a decision. Example: "I've made up my mind. I'm moving to Costa Rica."

Make waves (v.): To cause a commotion, cause trouble. Example: "Jim's a very docile person. He's not one to make waves."

Make-believe (adj.): Imaginary; Not-real. Example: "A make-believe world".

Man: A colloquial way guys (especially male friends) address each other; Buddy. Example: "Man, I have to tell you what happened to me last night!", "Listen, man, I don't know what you're talking about."

Maxed out (adj.): Having reached its limit (often used to speak about credit cards). Example: "My credit card has been maxed out for the past year."

(To) meet someone halfway:
To compromise with someone. Example: "They settled the argument by deciding to meet each other halfway."

Mellow out (v.): To relax.

(To) mention something in passing:
To mention something casually. Example: "She mentioned something in passing about going to check out the new Wes Anderson movie tonight."

(The) middle of nowhere:
A very isolated place. Example: "Our car broke down in the middle of nowhere. The nearest town was 100 miles away!"

Milk (something): To exploit (something). Example: "She was milking her 15 minutes of fame for all it was worth."

(To) mind one's own business:
Not to interfere/ get involved in the business of others. Example: "Sometimes, it's best to mind your own business."

Money talks:
Having money helps one get things done.

Move the needle (v.): To make a meaningful difference; to have a noticeable impact. Example: "Does this strategy actually move the needle, or are we just spinning our wheels?"

(To) move up in the world:
To increase one's standing socially, etc.; to become successful. Example: "I'm not interested in moving up in the world at the expense of other people."

Munchies (n.pl): Chips and other types of junk food. Example: "I picked up some munchies on my way from work."

(A) must:
A necessity. Example: "In Los Angeles, having a car is a must."

My bad (phr.): My mistake; I'm sorry — an informal admission of fault. Example: "Oh, my bad — I should have called ahead to let you know I'd be late."

(There's) more than meets the eye:
(Something is) more complicated/more interesting than it seems. Example: "There's more than meets the eye when it comes to Maria. = Maria is more interesting (or complicated, depending on the context) than she appears."



N

Nail (someone) (v.): To catch (someone) *usually doing something illegal/wrong*, etc.); To bust (someone). Example: "They nailed him for shoplifting."

Nail-biter (n.) : An exciting game where the outcome is uncertain until the very end. Example: That game was a real nail biter."

Neck and neck:
Very close (almost even), as in a race. Example: "The two candidates were running neck and neck a month before the election."

Neck of the woods:
*somewhat antiquated* Area. Part of a country. Example: "What's happening in your neck of the woods?"

(To) need a hand:
To need help. Example: "Do you need a hand? (Would you like some help?)"

Neither here nor there:
Not relevant. Example: "All of a sudden he started talking about his car, a topic which was neither here nor there."

Nerd (n.): Similar to "geek", but it has a little more of a derogatory ( = negative) quality to it. Someone who is socially inept, preferring academic pursuits to social ones.

Nest egg:
Saved money. Example: "He has saved up quite a nest egg. Pretty soon he'll be able to retire."

Never mind:
Don't worry about it. Example: "Did you pick up my photos? Never mind, I'll do it myself tomorrow."

(To) nip something in the bud:
To end something at an early stage.

No but seriously (phr.): (Very common in everyday conversational speech) Used to pivot from joking to making a genuine point. Example: "No but seriously, you need to see a doctor about that."

No cap (phr.): (Gen Z / informal; now widely used across age groups) No lie; for real; an expression used to emphasize that you are being truthful. Example: "That was the best meal I've ever had, no cap."

No laughing matter:
A very serious matter. Example: "Hey, why are you smiling? This is no laughing matter!"

No picnic:
Not easy. Very difficult and problematic. Example: "Let me tell you, driving in that snowstorm was no picnic."

No rush:
You don't have to hurry. Example: "P1: Do you want this done by this evening? P2: No, there's no rush. You can finish it tomorrow."

No skin off my nose:
I don't care because it doesn't affect me.

No sweat:
No problem.

No way: 1) Phrase used to say that something is definitely not going to happen. Example: "P1: Are you going to see her again? P2: No way!"; 2) Phrase of awe/disbelief. Example: "She gave you her phone number? No way!"

No wonder:
It's not surprising. Example: "He only slept for two hours last night? No wonder he's so tired."

No-brainer(n.): Very easy question; a question/situation/dilemma which has an obvious/easy solution. Example: "Well, if you ask me, it's a no-brainer. You should call her and apologize."

(To) not be born yesterday:
To be experienced, knowledgeable. Example: "Of course I know that trick! I wasn't born yesterday."

Not gonna lie (phr.): (Very common in everyday informal speech; often abbreviated NGL in writing) Honestly; to be frank — used to introduce a candid statement. Example: "Not gonna lie, that presentation was impressive."

(To) not have a prayer: To not have/stand a chance. Example: "Your team? They don't have a prayer or winning."

Not in the least:
Not at all. Example: "P1: Were you surprised that he failed the FCE? P2: Not in the least."

Not it (phr.): (Widely used in casual everyday speech) An expression used to opt out of something or refuse a task. Example: "P1: Someone needs to tell the boss. P2: Not it."

(To) not like the looks of (someone/something): To not like the way something looks because you think it might lead to something negative. Examples: "I don't like the looks of those clouds." (because they might bring rain), "I don't like the looks of those kids." (because they look like they might cause trouble).

Not likely:
Probably will not happen. Example: "P1: You think George will learn a lesson from this? P2: Not likely."

Not much of:
Pretty bad. Example: "I'm not much of a dancer."

(To) not put (something) past (someone): To believe that someone is capable of doing something. Example: "Would he tell the police? I wouldn't put it past him!" (Yes, I believe that he is capable of doing this.)

Now and then:
Occasionally. Now and again.



O

Odd man out:
An unusual or atypical person (or thing). Example: "In a high school where everyone was tough, I was the odd man out."

Off the air:
No longer on TV (or the radio). Example: "They took that show off the air in November because nobody watched it."

Off the hook:
No longer having to do something, no longer blamed or under suspicion. Example: "Ok, you're off the hook. Your brother says he'll clean the bathroom."

Off the record:
Unofficially. Example: "Off the record, they were very displeased with the way the CEO was conducting himself."

Off the top of one's head:
Spontaneously; without thinking too much. Example: "P1: How many cafes are there in this town? P2: Off the top of my head, I can think of about 6."

Off the wagon: To be "off the wagon" means to start drinking (alcoholic beverages) again after having stopped for a while.

Off-and-on : Not continuous(ly); Periodically. Example: "To sleep off and on", "To see someone off and on".

Off-color:
Rude; vulgar. Example: "I'm not a big fan of the off-color jokes he loves to tell."

Off-duty:
Not working at one's job. Example: "The policeman couldn't help me because he was off-duty."

On a roll (adj.): Experiencing a series of successes; doing very well. Example: "She's been on a roll lately — three promotions in two years."

On cloud nine: Extremely and visibly happy Example: "She was on cloud nine when she heard the news."

On edge: Nervous; Anxious. Example: "To be on edge."

On fleek (adj.): (Peaked around 2015; still understood but starting to feel dated — use with awareness) Perfect; exactly right; flawlessly executed. Example: "Her eyebrows were on fleek."

On one's mind:
Occupying someone's thoughts; being thought about. Example: "You were always on my mind."

On second thought:
Having given something more thought. Example: "On second thought, maybe you should sell your house and move into an apartment."

On the go:
Busy. Moving around busily. Example: "Jim is always on the go. He can never find time to talk to me."

On the house:
Something that is given away free by a merchant. Example: "P1: How much for the apple? P2: Nothing, it's on the house!"

On the level: Honest. Example: "I'm pretty sure he's on the level."

On the loose:
(Most often used speaking about criminals) Free; not captured; Example: "The bank robbers are still on the loose."

(To be) on the same wavelength: To understand each other; to see eye to eye.

On the tip of one's tongue:
Something that is almost said/remembered. Example: "I've got his name on the tip of my tongue."

On the wagon:
Not drinking alcohol. Example: "P2: Hey let's go out for a couple of beers tonight. P2: I can't, I'm on the wagon."

On-again, off-again (adj.): Used to describe something that is not stable, permanent. Example: "They had an on-again, off-again relationship for years."

Once in a while:
Occasionally. Example: "Once in a while I'll pick up my old guitar and play a couple of tunes."

One: Similar to "very". Example: That's one large pizza! = That's a really large pizza; He's one smart man. = He's a very smart man.

Other side of the tracks
*somewhat archaic* The poorer part of a town.

Out cold:
Unconscious. Example: "The boxer was out cold."

Out of one's mind = Not normal, not "all-there" Example: "You want to go for a walk at 2:00 AM? Are you out of your mind?"

Out of sorts:
Not quite oneself; In a bad/strange mood. Example: "Tom has been out of sorts recently."

Out of the loop (adj.): Not informed about what is happening; excluded from communication. Example: "Sorry, I've been out of the loop — can you fill me in on what happened?"

(To) outdo (v.): To do or perform better than someone else. Example: "He bought his mom a car, but his brother outdid him by buying her a house."

Over: "Over" is often used to emphasize location. Example: "I live over on Orange Street." (I live on Orange Street).

(To) overstep (v.): To be out of line. To say/do something that's inappropriate to a situation. Example: "I'm sorry; I overstepped. I shouldn't have said those things to your parents."

Own it (v.): To take full responsibility and confidence in something; to embrace it completely. Example: "She owned her mistake, apologized, and moved on. No excuses."

(To be/get) onboard: To agree to, or be part of something (usually a plan, strategy, etc.); Example: "I'm glad that all the partners are onboard."

(To do something) on one's own accord:
Willingly, without anyone forcing one to do something. Example: "P1: Did you make him apologize? P2: No, he did it on his own accord."



P

Pack heat; to be packing: (More common in crime fiction and film than in actual everyday conversation now.) To carry a gun.

(A) pain in the butt:
A problematic person/thing; a chronic complainer. Examples: "I hate doing my taxes. It's such a pain in the butt."; "Stop being such a pain in the butt. All you do is complain!"

(To) pass the buck:
To blame someone else. Example: "It's much easier to pass the buck than to take responsibility for something."

(To) pass the time:
To do something to keep busy. Example: "What do you do to pass the time around here?"

Pass the vibe check (v.): (Gen Z / informal) To meet expectations in terms of attitude, energy, or personality. Example: "Don't worry — he'll pass the vibe check."

(A) pat on the back:
A sign of approval; "To give someone a pat on the back" means to show them that you approve of something that they did.

(To) pay an arm and a leg/ pay a fortune:
To pay a lot of money. Example: "I hate to have to pay an arm and a leg for a pair of tennis shoes."

(A) peeping Tom
(Understood but old-fashioned; rarely said in natural conversation.) Example: "Larry was a peeping Tom. The neighbors caught him looking into Sarah's window one night."

Peppy (adj.): (Sounds dated — more common among older speakers.) Example: "A peppy song"

Pick back up: To start again. Example: "Let's pick back up where we left off."

Pick someone's brain (v.): To ask someone for their ideas, knowledge, or expertise. Example: "Can I pick your brain about the marketing strategy? You know this stuff better than I do."

(To) pick up the tab:
To pay a bill. Example: "John, you picked up the tab last time. Let me pay this time."

(A) piece of cake:
Very easy. Example: "P1: Hey how did you do on the test? P2: I aced it. It was a piece of cake for me."

Pin down (v.): To get a definite answer, decision, or commitment from someone. Example: "I couldn't pin him down on a date — he kept saying 'maybe.'"

Ping someone (v.): To send someone a quick message or notification to get their attention. Example: "Ping me when you get to the office." (Originally tech/messaging slang; now standard in workplace speech)

(To) pitch in:
To help with something (especially financially). Example: "Let's all pitch in and buy him a nice present."

(To) play it safe:
To act or be safe. To do something safely. Example: "Sarah isn't much of a risk taker. She likes to play it safe."

(To) play second fiddle to someone:
To be second in importance to someone. Example: "Sam didn't join the team because they already had a star and Sam didn't wanted to play second fiddle to anyone."

(To) play something by ear:
To improvise. To see how things go and make a decision later. Example: "P1: What do you want to do tonight? P2: I don't know, let's just play it by ear."

(To) play the field:
*somewhat outdated* To date many different people instead of going steady. Example: "After Mary broke up with Jim, she started playing the field."

Plead the fifth (v.):
To be able to answer a question, but to choose not to. Example: "P1: Did you see my husband at the bar? P2: I'm gonna plead the fifth on that one. I'd rather not get involved."

(A) poker face:
A face with no expression. Also common is "to be poker-faced."

Power through (v.): To continue despite difficulty, exhaustion, or obstacles. Example: "I was exhausted, but I powered through the last hour of the presentation."

Preachy (adj): (More common in written criticism than casual conversation.)
An adjective that describes someone (or something) that tries to preach how one should live, etc. Example: "A preachy movie"

Pressed for time:
In a hurry. Example: "I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm a little pressed for time."

(To) promise someone the moon:
To promise someone lots of extravagant things (unrealistically). Example: "He promised her the moon, but couldn't deliver on any of his promises."

Psyched (adj.): Excited. Example: "I'm so psyched about the concert tomorrow!"

Psycho (n.): Crazy, mentally-unbalanced person. Example: "You should stay away from him. He's a bit of a psycho."

(To) puke:
To vomit. To throw up.

(To) pull a fast one:
To cheat or to deceive. Example: "Con men are experts at pulling a fast one on unsuspecting passers by."

(To) pull someone's leg:
To kid, play a joke on someone. Example: "When he told me he was joining the military, was he just pulling my leg?"

Pull the plug (v.): To end or discontinue something. Example: "They pulled the plug on the project after the third failed trial."

Pure gold:
* somewhat outdated* If something is "pure gold" it is "the best", "fantastic", "amazing".

(To) push one's luck:
To expect continued good fortune. Example: "Don't push your luck. I was nice to you before, but if you keep making me angry, you'll regret it."

Push the envelope (v.): To go beyond conventional limits; to try something new or risky. Example: "This film really pushes the envelope — it's unlike anything I've seen."

Put on blast (v.): (Informal; widely used online and in everyday speech) To publicly call someone out, expose, or embarrass them. Example: "She put him on blast on social media and it went viral."

Put someone through (a lot)(v.): To make someone suffer (a lot) Example: "After all he's put her through, I can't believe she still loves him!"

Put the moves on (someone)(v.): To hit on (someone), to try to seduce (someone). Example: "Was he putting the moves on you?"

(To) put up a good fight:
To try very hard. Example: "Well, although my team lost, they put up a good fight, so I'm not upset."

(To give someone) a piece of one's mind:
To scold, reprimand someone (for something they did). Example: "After I found out how badly Peter had treated his girlfriend, I gave him a piece of my mind."

Plastered (adj.):
Very drunk. Example: "I got plastered last night."



Q

(As) quiet as a mouse:
Very quiet.

Quarter (n.): An American/Canadian 25 cent coin.

Quick and dirty:
Fast and simple; not very sophisticated. Example: "We just need a quick and dirty solution to this."

Quick on the uptake:
Quick to understand; intelligent. Example: "Many of the people in town thought that Thomas wasn't too quick on the uptake, but he was actually a very bright boy."

Quick study (noun):
Someone who is able to memorize or learn something quickly and easily. Example: "I was worried she wouldn't be able to get up to speed quickly enough, but she proved to be a quick study."

Quite a bit:
A lot. Example: "There is quite a bit to do still."

Quite a few:
Many. Example: "There were quite a few people at the concert yesterday."

Quite the (something): A very good (something). Example: "She's quite the dancer!"

Quitter (n.): Someone who quits, gives up easily.

(To make a) quick buck: To make some money very quickly. Example: "Everyone's just trying to make a quick buck."



R

(To) rack one's brain:
To try very hard to think of something. Example: "I racked my brain, but I couldn't remember his name."

Rain or shine:
No matter what the weather is like. Example: "The game will be played tomorrow, rain or shine."

(To) raise (some) eyebrows:
To shock. Example: "The art show raised some eyebrows due to its explicit content."

Rake in: To make a lot of money; Example: "He's really raking it in these days."

(To) read between the lines:
To try to understand what is meant by something that is not written/said clearly. Example: "I need to have things spelled out for me. I'm terrible at reading between the lines."

Read the room (v.): To correctly understand the mood, expectations, or emotional state of a group. Example: "He really couldn't read the room — cracking jokes at the worst possible moment."

Reality check (n.): A reminder of the actual facts of a situation; a return to reality. Example: "Time for a reality check — this plan is not working and we need to change course."

Red eye (n.): An overnight flight; Example: "I caught the red eye to Denver."

Red flag (n.): (Extremely common in dating contexts and everyday speech) A warning sign that something is wrong, especially in a person's behavior. Example: "The fact that he never introduced her to his friends was a major red flag."

(A) redneck:
Generally refers to someone who has either bigoted or narrow-minded opinions. Often used in the context of people who live in small towns or in the country. Example: "Just because he's from rural Kentucky doesn't mean he's a redneck."

(A) regular guy:
A normal, average man (said in a fairly positive way). Example: "John? I don't know, I guess he's just a regular guy."

(To) rest one's case:
When people say "I rest my case", it usually means that they feel that they just proved that they are correct.

Ride (n.): Car. Example: "Nice ride!"

Ride shotgun (v.): To ride in the front passenger seat of a car. Example: "I wanna ride shotgun!"

Right off the bat:
Right away; immediately. Example: "I knew there was something wrong with him right off the bat."

(To) ring a bell:
To remind someone of something. To vaguely recognize something. Examples: "P1: Have you every listened to Alex Chilton? P2: I'm not sure; the name rings a bell, though." ( = I think I've heard the name before.); "I'm sorry, that doesn't ring a bell." = I'm sorry I don't recognize/know that.

(To) ring in the new year:
To celebrate the beginning of the New Year at midnight on December 31st. Example: "This year, we'll be ringing in the new year in Paris."

(A) rip-off or (To) rip-off:
A rip-off is something that costs more than it should. Example: "The popcorn prices at the movie theater are a rip-off."; To rip someone off means to steal from someone, or to cheat someone. Example: "The mechanic ripped me off."

(To) risk one's neck (to do something):
To risk (sometimes physical) harm to accomplish something. Example: "He's always been very mean to me. I don't plan to risk my neck to save his job."

Rizz (n./v.): (Gen Z; now widely used across age groups) Natural charm and charisma, especially in romantic situations. Example: "He has so much rizz — he walked in and everyone noticed him."

Road rage (n.): The modern phenomenon of angry, aggressive driving, which sometimes leads to arguing, fighting, etc. between drivers.

(To) rob the cradle:
To go out with (or marry) someone who is much younger than you are. Example: "Victor's new wife is 25 years younger than him. Talk about robbing the cradle!"

Rock (v.): To be great. Example: "That rocks!" (That's really great!)

(To) rock the boat:
To disturb an otherwise stable situation. Example: "My grandmother wanted to express her disapproval, but she didn't because she didn't want to rock the boat."

Roll with it (v.): To go with the flow; To accept things as they come.

Rotten (adj):
Bad, nasty. Example: "I've done a lot of rotten things in the past."

(To) rub elbows with someone:
To associate with someone. Example: "When her singing career took off, Kathleen was able to rub elbows with the rich and famous."

(To) rub someone the wrong way:
To irritate someone. Example: "I'm not going out if your cousin is going. She really rubs me the wrong way."

Rule (v.): To be great/ the best. Example: "That band rules!"

Run (something) by (someone) (v.): To tell someone something, usually to get approval, etc. Example: "That's a good idea. I'll run it by my parents and see what they think."

(To) run a fever:
To have a fever. Example: "Jamie has been running a fever all day."

(To) run in the family:
To happen/ occur often in the family (through generations). Example: "P1: Frank is always so angry. P2: Yeah, his bad temper runs in the family."

Run it back (v.): (Widely used in music culture and everyday speech) To repeat or replay something; to do something again from the start. Example: "That song was so good — run it back!"

(To give someone) the runaround/(To get) the runaround : To deceive someone, usually in the form of evasive excuses. Example: "I wanted to get some concrete answers, but they just gave me the runaround."



S

Safe and sound:
Safe. Unharmed. Example: "It was a rough trip but we got there safe and sound."

Savage (adj.): (Common in everyday informal speech; can be a compliment) Impressively brutal, blunt, or ruthless — used approvingly. Example: "That comeback was absolutely savage. I felt that."

(To) save money for a rainy day:
To reserve something for some future need. Example: "I've saved a little money for a rainy day."

(To) save the day:
To produce good results when bad results are expected. Example: "Colin saved the day by remembering to bring water."

Say less (phr.): (Informal; widely used in everyday speech) I understand completely — no need to explain further. Example: "P1: Just meet me there at 8. P2: Say less."

School (someone) (v.): To teach someone a lesson. To show someone how something is (really) done. Example: "We thought we were the best, but the other team really schooled us."

(A) score to settle:
To get even. To pay someone back for something negative that they did. Example: "Don't stop me. I have a score to settle with him."

(To) scratch the surface:
To begin finding out about something. Example: "We've only begun to scratch the surface in this field."

Screw up (v.): To make a mistake; to do something badly or wrong. Example: "I really screwed up my audition."

Second nature (to someone):
Easy and natural. Example: "Scoring goals is second nature to him."

(To) see eye to eye on something:
To have a similar opinion on something. Example: "Despite their public differences, the two candidates actually see eye to eye on most issues."

(To) see fit:
To deem/believe to be appropriate. Example: "You can do that any way you see fit."

(To) see the writing on the wall:
To see that something is going to happen.

Send it (v.): (Very common in everyday informal speech) To go for something without hesitation; to commit fully. Example: "Stop overthinking it and just send it."

(To) serve someone right:
To serve as appropriate punishment for someone. Example: "They put him in jail for 5 years? Serves him right!"

(To) set foot somewhere:
To go or enter somewhere. Example: "If I were you, I wouldn't set foot in that town."

(To) set one's sights on something:
To select something as one's goal. Example: "We would like to buy out one of our competitors. We've got our sights set on Sony."

Shake things up (v.): To introduce significant change; to disrupt the status quo. Example: "We need to shake things up around here — the same approach isn't working anymore."

Sharp (adj.): When talking about people = smart, intelligent; when talking about clothes = stylish, high-quality.

Shoot hoops (v.): To play basketball in a casual, informal way. Example: "Let's shoot some hoops on Friday."

(To be) short on cash: To not have too much money. Example: "I'm a little short on cash. Could you lend me some money until Tuesday?"

(A) shot in the arm:
A boost. Example: "The good financial news was a real shot in the arm for Steve's company."

Show, Show up (v.): To arrive. Example: "We waited for two hours, but they didn't show (up)."

Side hustle (n.): (Extremely common in everyday American speech) A job, project, or business pursued alongside one's main employment. Example: "Her photography is her side hustle — she still works a 9-to-5."

(To) sit on one's hands
To do nothing. Example: "Everyone expected the board to take action, but they just sat on their hands."

(To) sit tight:
To wait (patiently). Example: "Sit tight, your mother will be here soon."

Situationship (n.): (Very widely used in dating contexts) A romantic relationship that is more than friendship but less than an official partnership. Example: "They've been in a situationship for six months — nobody knows what they are."

Skeleton(s) in the closet:
A shocking/ disturbing secret.

(The) slammer (n.): Jail. Example: "He was in the slammer."

Slay (v./excl.): (Widely used across age groups now; originally from drag/LGBTQ+ culture) To do something exceptionally well; an expression of admiration. Example: "Did you see her presentation? She absolutely slayed."

(To) sleep on something:
To think about something overnight. Example: "I'm not sure if I want to buy this car. I think I should sleep on it."

Snail mail (n.): Regular physical mail (as opposed to email).

Snap back (v.): To recover quickly after a setback. Example: "She snapped back after the rejection and came back stronger than ever."

Something (n.): In phrases such as "Wasn't that something!", "something" actually means "something interesting" or "something special" or "something surprising", depending on the context.

Space out (v.): To lose oneself in thought, esp. when you should be paying attention to something else. To zone out. Example: "Sorry, I spaced out for a second. What were you saying?"

Space-case/Space-cadet (n.): (Rarely heard now; "airhead" or "spaced out" more common.) Example: "Peter is a bit of a space cadet. He's always zoning out when I talk to him."

Spit facts (v.): (Informal; common in everyday speech) To say something that is true and accurate. Example: "He was spitting facts the whole time — everything he said checked out."

Split (v.): To leave. Example: "I have to split. See you tomorrow!"

Split-up (v.): To break up; to stop seeing each other (as boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, etc.) Example: "Tom and Maria split up last month."

Splurge (v./n.): (Common in everyday speech) To spend more money than usual on something; an instance of doing so. Example: "I don't usually spend this much, but I decided to splurge on a nice dinner."

Spook (v.): To scare.

Spread (n.): Collection. Example: "They had quite a spread of food at the party."

(To) stand up for something:
To fight for, support. Example: "The elected official promised to stand up for the poor."

Stash (n.): A hidden collection of something, often (but not always) used to refer to hidden drugs. Example: "Mark's parents found his stash (of pot) under his bed."

Stay in your lane (v.): To focus on your own business and not interfere in others'. Example: "Nobody asked for your opinion — stay in your lane."

Step up (v.): To improve one's performance or take on more responsibility. Example: "He really stepped up when things got tough — the whole team noticed."

Stick to (something): To keep (doing something). To not stop (doing something) Example: "Cynthia wants to be an actress, but I think she should stick to singing."

(To) stir up trouble:
To cause trouble. Example: "Sometimes I think she gets great pleasure from stirring up trouble."

Straight (adj.): 1) Direct, clear, honest. Example: "He wouldn't give me a straight answer."; 2) Heterosexual. Example: "I'm pretty sure he's straight."

Straight up: Honestly/Honest.

Strike up a conversation: To start a conversation. Example: "He walked up to the first woman he saw and struck up a conversation with her."

Stuck up (adj.): Snobbish, conceited. Example: "I don't like her. She's so stuck up."

Stunner (n.): (Sounds distinctly British rather than American; rarely used in natural AE.) Example: "Wow! What a stunner!"

Sucker:
A gullible person or someone who is easily impressed by something (eg. "a sucker for gadgets" = someone who is easily impressed by gadgets)

Sugar daddy/sugar mama(n.): A wealthy man or woman who either supports you financially (pays for you) or gives you gifts, in return for sex or companionship.

Suit yourself:
Have it your way; As you wish; Example: "I wouldn't walk around that neighborhood at night, but if you really want to, suit yourself."

(To) swallow something hook, line, and sinker:
To believe something (usually a lie) completely. Example: "Margaret told him a flat-out ( = complete and utter) lie and he swallowed it hook line and sinker."

Sweet (adj.): Very nice. Example: "That is a sweet car."

Swig (n.): A drink (out of a bottle). Example: "Gimme a swig!"

Swing (something) (v.): To arrange (something)/to get (something) done. Example: "It'll be hard, but we'll probably be able to swing a deal."

Synergy (n.): (Common in business; also widely used ironically) The combined effect of two things working together being greater than their individual effects. Example: "The merger created real synergy between the two teams."

(To have a) sweet tooth: To love to eat candy, sweets, etc.



T

24/7 (Twenty four seven): Non-stop, around the clock. Example: "That place is open 24/7. It never closes."

Tag along (v.): To go with/ accompany someone. Example: "I'm going to the mall. You wanna tag along?"

Take a joke: To have a sense of humor; Not to get offended at a joke directed towards you. Example: "Geez! I was only kidding. Can't you take a joke?"

Take a load off (v.): To relax. Example: "Come on in, sit down, take a load off."

(To) take it:
To endure trouble, criticism, or abuse. Example: "Say whatever you want about me. I can take it."

Take it easy!
Relax! (Also used in "to take it easy" = to relax, to spend a day relaxing, etc.)

Take it offline (phr.): (Very common in workplace and meeting contexts) To move a conversation out of a group setting to discuss privately. Example: "This is getting complicated — let's take it offline after the meeting."

Take it or leave it:
To accept it the way it is or to forget it. Example: "That's my final offer. Take it or leave it."

(To) take its toll:
To cause damage (or loss). Example: "The long hours he puts in at work have begun to take their toll on his health."

Take off (v.): To leave, to get going, to be on one's way. Example: "We have to take off. See you soon!"

(To) take someone under one's wing:
To protect (and teach) someone. Example: "Arthur took the new employee under his wing and taught him everything he knew."

(To) take something lying down:
To endure something unpleasant without fighting back. Example: "I'm not going to take this type of treatment lying down!"

(To) take something with a grain of salt:
Not to take something that someone says too seriously. Example: "If I were you, I'd take everything that she tells you with a grain of salt."

(To) take something/ someone for granted:
To accept something/ someone (without gratitude) as a matter of course. Example: "We tend to take a lot of things for granted."

Take the L (v.): (Informal; widely used in sports culture and everyday speech) To accept a loss, failure, or defeat gracefully. Example: "Sometimes you just have to take the L and move on."

(To) take the rap (for something):
To accept responsibility, admit that one is guilty of something. Example: "I thought that Bill was responsible for the mix-up, but his friend Tom took the rap."

Talking to someone (phr.): (Very widely used in everyday American speech) The informal stage of romantic interest before officially dating. Example: "Are you two together? Not officially — we're just talking."

That does it!:This phrase is used when one has had enough of something/someone, and decides to do something about it. Example: "That does it! I'm calling the police!"

That hit the spot: (When talking about food/drinks) That was really good; That's just what I needed.

That's a mood (phr.): (Widely used in everyday speech and online) An expression of strong relatability; used when something perfectly captures how you feel. Example: "P1: I just want to sleep for a week. P2: That's a mood."

Thick-skinned (adj.): Not easily offended; The opposite of "touchy". "He's thick skinned. He can take it."

(To) think straight:
To think clearly. Example: "I was so tired that I couldn't think straight."

Throw shade (v.): (Now widely used across age groups) To subtly disrespect, insult, or make a cutting remark about someone. Example: "She was throwing shade all night without ever saying anything directly."

(To) throw someone for a loop:
To confuse or shock someone. Example: "His last comment really threw me for a loop. I had no idea what he meant!"

Throw the book at someone: To impose the highest/most severe penalty on someone for a crime committed. Example: "After John got caught stealing again, the judge threw the book at him."

Thrown under the bus (phr.): (Extremely common in workplace and everyday speech) To be blamed or sacrificed by someone else to avoid their own consequences. Example: "He threw his whole team under the bus to save himself."

(To) tie the knot:
To get married. Example: "They tied the knot in Puerto Vallarta."

Tight (adj.): Close. "That's one tight game!"

(To) tighten one's belt
To spend less money. Example: "After Becky lost her job, we really had to tighten our belts for a while."

To save his/her life:
At all/ completely. Example: "She can't sing to save her life."

Told you so!:
Basically when someone says "told you so!", it's like saying "See, I was right!".

Tongue in cheek:
Joking. Example: "Quentin made a tongue-in-cheek remark to his dad."

Touch base (v.): (Very common in workplace and business conversations) To make brief contact with someone to check in or share updates. Example: "Let's touch base on Friday to see where things stand."

Touch grass (v.): (Gen Z / internet culture; now widely understood) To go outside and experience the real world; often said humorously to someone spending too much time online. Example: "You've been online for 14 hours. Go touch grass."

(To) touch on (something):
To mention/talk about. Example: "During the meeting, we touched on the plans to rebuild the school."

Trash (v.): To destroy. "The band trashed the hotel room."

(To be) tripping on (something): to be high on something (usually drugs).

True to one's word:
Keeping one's promise. Example: "I wasn't sure he would pay me, but he turned out to be true to his word."

(To) try someone's patience
To do something annoying that may cause someone to lose patience. Example: "It's not a good idea to try the boss' patience."

(To) try your luck
To attempt something; to try to see if you can do/win something. Example: "I'm going to try my luck at the slot machines."

(To) turn a blind eye to something:
To ignore something and pretend you did not see it. Example: "The usher turned a blind eye to the boy who snuck into the theater."

(To) turn one's back on (something/someone):
To forget or ignore (something/someone) Example: "You should never turn your back on your friends."

Turn-off (n.): Something that makes you lose your interest. Example: "The fact that she smoked so much was a real turn-off."

(To) two-time someone:
To be in a relationship and to have another boyfriend/girlfriend without telling your first boyfriend/girlfriend. Example: "I dumped him when I found out he was two-timing me with Mary."



U

(To be/feel) up to (doing something):
Capable of, fit for. Example: "Do you feel up to playing a game of tennis?"

Uncle Sam: The United States government; Example: "One fourth of my salary goes to Uncle Sam."

Under construction:
Being built or repaired. Example: "This road has been under construction for six months."

Under fire:
Being attacked. Example: "The soldiers came under fire when they approached the city."

Under the table:
Illegally. Example: "Many illegal immigrants try to find work under the table."

Under the weather:
Sick. Ill. Example: "I'm feeling a bit under the weather today."

Understood the assignment (phr.): (Widely used in everyday speech and social media) To have done exactly what was needed; to have performed perfectly in context. Example: "That outfit for the red carpet? She understood the assignment."

Unpack (something) (v.): To examine, analyze, or explore something carefully and in detail. Example: "Let's unpack what actually happened in that meeting before we react."

Up and about:
Recovered from an illness. Example: "It's nice to see you up and about. You must be feeling a lot better."

Up for grabs: Available (for the taking); Example: "The jackpot is still up for grabs."

Up in the air:
Uncertain. Example: "His future at this company is up in the air."

Up one's sleeve (as in "to have something up one's sleeve"): To have a secret agenda, to be up to something, to be planning something. Example: "I don't trust him. I just know he has something up his sleeve."

(To be) up to no good: To be planning something bad. Example: "Jimmy's parents could tell that he was up to no good."

Up to one's neck in something:
Very much involved in something; to have a lot of something. Example: "Please don't give me any more socks as presents. I'm up to my neck in socks."

Up to par:
Meeting normal standards. Example: "The wine was nice, but it wasn't up to par with the excellent wine they normally have."

Upbeat (adj.): Positive. Example: "Brendon's always really upbeat."

Upper crust: Upper class. The richest, most important people in a certain society.

Uptight:
Conservative, nervous, nit-picky. "It's hard for me to feel at ease around uptight people."

(To) use every trick in the book:
To use every method possible. Example: "He used every trick in the book to get her to go out on a date with him."



V

(To) vanish into thin air:
To disappear without leaving a trace. Example: "Whatever happened to that actor? He seems to have vanished into thin air."

Variety is the spice of life:
Proverb meaning life is made more interesting by doing new or different things.

Veg out (v.): (Pronounced "vedge out") To sit/lay around doing nothing or relaxing. Example: "I'm gonna veg out by the pool for a while."

Vegas: short for "Las Vegas". Example: "We went to Vegas for the weekend."

Veggies (n.pl): Vegetables. Example: "Don't forget to eat your veggies!"

Very last:
The last. Example: "We were able to buy the very last tickets to the concert."

Very well:
OK. Agreed.

Vet (n.): Short for "veteran"; Also short for "veterinarian".

Vibe (n.): Feeling. "I'm getting a strange vibe from him." = "He's behaving strangely (towards me)."; "This place has a really cool vibe." = "This place has a very nice atmosphere."

Vibe (v.): (Different from the noun "vibe" already on the list) To get along well with someone; to feel in harmony or sync with someone or something. Example: "We really vibed on the first date — the conversation just flowed."

Vibe check (n.): (Gen Z / informal; now widely understood) An informal assessment of someone's attitude, energy, or personality. Example: "He failed the vibe check immediately — something was just off."

Vicious circle:
Sequence of cause and effect with bad results. Example: "He had fallen into a vicious circle of drinking too much, losing his job, and then drinking even more."



W

(At one's) wits' end:
If you're "at your wits' end" it means that you've tried everything to fix or solve a problem, or to come up with a solution, and you're almost going crazy from not being able to do this.

(To) wait on someone hand and foot:
To serve someone very well; to do anything someone asks you. Example: "I don't mind making you coffee, but don't expect me to wait on you hand and foot!"

(To) wait tables:
To work as a waiter/ waitress in a restaurant. Example: "Becky waited tables while she was in college."

Wait-and-see attitude:
A skeptical attitude. An attitude where someone will just wait and see what happens. Example: "The best thing to do is to adopt a wait-and-see attitude."

Wanna: Conversational form of "want to". Example: "He doesn't wanna come."

(To) wash one's hands of someone/something:
To end one's association with someone or something. Example: "I washed my hands of Tom. I wanted nothing more to do with him."

Washed-up:
No longer important/ in good form. Example: "Why do you hang out with that washed-up actor?"

(To) waste one's breath:
To talk in vain. To waste one's time talking. Example: "Don't waste your breath. He never listens to what anyone tells him."

Wasted (adj.): Very drunk, high. Example: "We got so wasted last night."

Watch your back!: Be careful; Watch out. *this is often meant as a threat or warning*

Way to go!:
Good job! Congratulations! (*sometimes used sarcastically*)

Wear and tear:
Damage as a result of normal use. Example: "They put a lot of wear and tear on their truck during their long road trip."

Wear many hats (v.): To have multiple roles or responsibilities. Example: "In a startup, everyone wears many hats — you do whatever needs doing."

(To) wear out one's welcome:
To stay too long (at an event, at someone's house, etc.) Example: "Let's only stay with them for 2 days. I don't want us to wear out our welcome."

Weirdo (n.): Strange person. *fairly negative*

Well-off:
Wealthy. Example: "Her parents are well-off."

Well-to-do (adj.): Wealthy; Rich. Example: "She comes from a well-to-do family."

Wet blanket:
A person who discourages others from having fun.

What makes someone tick:
What motivates someone. Example: "He's such a mysterious guy. I don't quite know what makes him tick."

What's with (someone):
What's wrong with (someone). Example: "What's with you? You've been acting strange all day!"

Whatever floats your boat (phr.): Whatever makes you happy; to each their own. Example: "Sushi for breakfast? Whatever floats your boat."

Wheels (n.pl.): Car.

(A) whole lot:
A lot, too many. Example: "There aren't a whole lot of good restaurants in this neighborhood." = There aren't too many good restaurants in this neighborhood.

(To be) wide awake:
To be completely awake. Example: "P1: Were you sleeping? P2: No, I was wide awake."

(A) wild goose chase:
A futile/hopeless pursuit. Example: "We thought he had given us a good lead, but it ended up being a wild goose chase."

Wimp (n.): Weak, cowardly person. Example: "Call me a wimp again and see what happens."

Wired (adj.): (Still used but increasingly replaced by "amped," "hyped," or "jacked up.") Example: "I'm all wired from the two espressos that I drank."

Wishy-washy (adj.): Lacking in strength or character; not concrete; Example: "He gave me some wishy-washy excuse."

(With) no strings attached:
Unconditionally. Example: "He said that he just wanted to help me, no strings attached."

(To) work out for the best:
To work out in the best possible way. Example: "It seems bad now, but things will work out for the best."

Work up the courage (to do something): To build up enough confidence (to do something). Example: "She finally worked up the courage to ask him out."

Wrap (something) up (v.): To finish (something); To bring something to a close. Example: "OK, let's wrap things up for today."



X

X marks the spot:
This is the exact spot.



Y

Yack (v.): (Very rarely used today; "yap" or "babble" more common.) Example: "He was yackin' away, and I wasn't even listening."

Yawn: Something one says to show that one is bored. Example: "Oh, great, another romantic comedy. Yawn."

Yeah: Conversational form of "yes".

Year-round (adj./adv.)
Operating all year. Example: "This facility is open year round."

Yes-man:
A person who tries to be liked by agreeing with everything said, especially by a boss.

You bet!: 1) Of course. Example: "P1: Hey you wanna come to the beach with us? P2: You bet!"; 2) No problem. Example: "P1: Thanks for all your help! P2: You bet!"

You can say that again: (stress on "that")
That is true. Example: "P1: It sure is hot today! P2: You can say that again!"

You can't teach an old dog new tricks:
A proverb with two meanings: 1) old(er) people can't learn anything new and 2) old habits are hard to break.

You don't say:
Used to show surprise at something that is being said. Example: "You don't say! He was really struck by lightning?"

You're telling me!: Phrase meaning "I know exactly what you mean"; Similar to "Don't I know it!"; Example: "P1: My son's gone off to college and I miss him so much! P2: You're telling me! I've got two sons in college."

Your guess is as good as mine:
I don't know any better/ more than you know. Example: "P1: How old is Robert? P2: Your guess is as good as mine. I have no idea."

Yuppie (n.): (Relic of the 80s/90s — still understood but rarely used sincerely today.) Abbreviated form of "young urban professional"; said of young, career-oriented, financially successful people.



Z

Zap (v.): To destroy, kill, or inflict pain with some kind of an electric current. Someone can be "zapped by an electrical current", "zapped by a laser gun", "zapped by lightning", etc.

Zip (or Zilch): Nothing.

Zip around (v.): To move around very quickly (from place to place).

Zit (n.): Pimple. Example: "Whatever you do, don't pop that zit."

Zone out (v.): To space out; to drift off mentally. Example: "I always zone out when my parents lecture me about stuff."

Zs (pronounced "zeez"): Sleep.